U.S. Potato Exports Set Record in 2017

U.S. potato and potato product exports grew 4.58 percent in volume and 4.63 percent in value from 2016 to 2017, according to Potatoes USA.

resh potato exports were up 6% in 2017 while frozen and chip exports up 1 percent, according to a news release.

On a fresh weight equivalent basis, Potatoes USA said frozen potatoes account for 53 percent of total potato exports, with dehydrated exports at 24 percent and fresh accounting for 15 percent. Calculated on the fresh weight equivalent measure, about 20 percent of U.S. potato output is exported, according to the potato promotion group.

Exports of all U.S. potatoes and potato products reached a record $1.76 billion for the July 2016-June 2017 marketing year.

Growth in world trade in potatoes and potato products averages 8 percent annually, according to Potatoes USA, and there is room to grow exports. Challenges include the strong U.S. dollar, increasing competition from the European Union and the lack of new trade deals for U.S. products, according to the release. However, the dollar has weakened over the past six months, and there are efforts to increase U.S. fresh potato access to a number of markets, according to the release.